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SCERSIG: Creating Android Apps with App Inventor. 26 October 2011 Ric Paul, Health Services Library, Southampton. Options for Creating Apps. Apple iOS SDK Windows Visual Studio Android App Inventor Developer’s Toolkit. App Inventor: Getting Started. Install software
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SCERSIG: Creating Android Apps with App Inventor 26 October 2011 Ric Paul, Health Services Library, Southampton
Options for Creating Apps • Apple • iOS SDK • Windows • Visual Studio • Android • App Inventor • Developer’s Toolkit
App Inventor: Getting Started • Install software • Internet connection • But… don’t need an Android phone
App Inventor Dunechaser Robban Andersson Any other mobile programming language
www.appinventorbeta.com/about • Google login + internet required
App Inventor • Simple, low-tech approach to programming • Free to use – but software installation required • Tutorials available on the site • Tutorial videos on YouTube
Design your interface on this screen • Open the Blocks Editor to edit code
Interface Design • Drag and drop components onto the screen image • Edit component names and initial status • Choose from a range of components – buttons, text objects, social media tools, etc.
Blocks Editor • Drag containers for each component onto the surface • Plug actions, events & properties into the container • No formal programming is required
Finalising Apps • Finished app can be installed on a phone directly or via a QR code • Distribute the app via the QR code – or upload to Android Market • A tool like Marketizer can help • www.taiic.com/marketizer • Apps can be updated later – users will be alerted that an update is available
Downsides • App Inventor apps are large files – there’s nothing you can do to reduce them • This is an Android-only product – there’s no equivalent for iOS or Windows Mobile • App Inventor is no longer supported directly by Google